Ring-grooving machine



a. H. mscms RING GROWING manna Filed March 21. 1925 s' Sheets-Sheet. 2

Dec. 6, 1927. 1,651,598

. v s. H. magma RING eaoovmc. MACHINE Filed March 21, 1925 3 huts-Sheet I5 Patented Dec" 6, 1927. i i f entree s'rnrss PATENT OFFICE;

GEORGE H. HIGGINS, (3F RQCKFGRD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOF, TO BURDHIGH GOMPRES--- EION RING COMPANY, F ROCKFGED, ILLINOIS,A CORPORATION OF ILLENOIS.

BINGGRDGVING MACHINE.

-Application filed. March 21, 1825. Serial No. 17,166.

This in ention rel-Lites to metal Working egsinstjthe action of said spring etter the to machines zind the object of the invention is clutch has been disengaged, thus reducing" to devise a special machine for grooving the nuniber of operations required ofthe' piston rings or like objects to produce oil operator in grooving a ring or carrying on grooves, or to otiierwise machine the periph other similar Work and providing for ecoerel portion of a piston ring. v

A further object of the invention is to tion. v v provide a ring grooving machine or lathe The invention also provides novel means hiring novel means for holding and releas iorflaccommodating rings of diflierent diaineing the rings and for acconnnodnting rings ters and adjustnientof the jaws to clamp of ditlercnt sizes and expeditiously groovthe. rings irrespective oitheir siZ-e,f\'vithin 6n ing the same. i 7 Certain predetermined limits, and inesnsfor Another and in'iportunt object of the in-- ejecting the rings after the Work has been Yention is to provide a ring grooving 1112b completed said hitter means also being ad chine of a kind resemblingthe vertical or jizstzihle accordingfto the size of theringi upright knee-type milling nmchine having Other objects and attendant advantages 65 no. adjustable cutter supported on a triivel- Will be appreciated by those skilled in this ing table together with a Work-holder; inart as the invention becomes better, under- I cludingrn :tnce plate adapted to be rotated stood by reference to the following descripand provided with ring-holding nieens tion When considered in connection with the adapted to grip the Work or release the accompenyiiiig drawings, in Which-- to some and a, clutch for transmitting l'Qlilt- Figure l is a side elevstionof a ring tion from a driving means or pulley to rogrooving machine Constructed in accordance H .tnte the Work in engagement with the cut- With the invention. v

2 ting tool, in e predetermined or timed rela- Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the nisohine.

tion. 3 is an enlarged horizontal longiri rurther object of the invention is to tudinal sectional view taken on the plane of provide novel control means tel-engaging the sectionline3 8 of Fig.1.

the drive clutch after the Work-holding Fig. l is an enlarged front elevation-of means has been acted upon to clamp the the face plate'and'Work-holding means cnrring, and forrelessing the drive clutch be ried thereby with lining in position 5 tore shifting the Work-holding means or Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the face spreader cone to permit the movable clrnnpplate with the jaws in it released position, I

;ing jaws to contract and release the ring, and p Whereb the work will be held for action 6 is front elevation of an ennnlnr thereon by the cutter before being driven, bacloplste and'kiclt-ont pincnrried thereby s: end the driving means rendered inopereand constituting a part of theworlc-ej'ectlive or disconnected prior to the release of meansthe ring after the oil groove has been cut Referringto the drawings in detail where therein, thereby facilitating; and expediting: in I have illustrated an embodiment ofthe the work. invention and in Wliiclrsirniler reference no The invention also comprehends the procheineters designate corresponding parts vision of a single control lever for release throughout, 7 designatesdan upright frame ing or engaging the clutch between the 'drivhaving .21 base 8 resting onthe floor and: 4; ing; pulley and the spindle of the machine, formed ith spaced front and rear bearings and for gripping and releasing the ring, 9 andlO at its upper end. A kneeull is 95 which means permits a spring; to actuate a adsptedto be raised or lowered onguidecone or spreader to move the jaws into ways 12 provided'at the front of the frame, clamping relation or to release the same through the medium of ew erticsl rack 13 noinicel inei'iui ecture and quantity precise- Q and a shaft 14L having a pinion in engagement with the rack at the inner end and adapted to be turned by a crank in the usual manner common in the upright or vertical knee-type milling machine. A horizontal carriage 15 is mounted upon the knee 11 for adjustment forwardly and rearwardly on the guideway 16 through the medium of a screw feed or other suitable device'desig hated at 1'? and adapted to be operated by a suitable hand crank. A horizontal carriage 18 is mounted for transverse movement in guideways 19 on the carriage l and is adapted to be held in adjusted position by a feed screw 20 having an operatin handle or crank 21. Thus the carriages lo and 18 areadjustable at right angles to each other according to the size or diameter oi the work, the depth or thickness thereof, and the point of action of the cutter thereon. A tool holder 22 is mounted upon the carriage 18 for movement therewith and, as indicated, has a slot 28 for receiving the tool 24: which isheld in position by the set screw 25, with the cutting edge of the tool extending'inwardly at an angle.

A hollow or tubular spindle 26 is journaled in the bearings 9 and and has a drive pulle'y 2T loose thereon and adapted to be driven suitably by a belt trained thereon. An antivfriction bearing 28, is interposed betwee the hub of the pulley 2'? and the tor-ward edge of the sleeve hearing it) to lake'end thrust on the pulley. The opposite face of the pulley is abutted by a ring 29 anchored to the spiudle as by a screw 30 to prevent the pulley shitting forwardly on the spindle. The adjacent face the pulley, outwardly of the ring 29, is provided with an annular groove 31 for receiving a lined clutch ring 32. clutch collar 33 is splined at 3a on the spindle 26 and has a flanged clutch rim coacting ith the. clutch rinp; 3E3. ihese parts torm sections of a clutch adapted to be engaged for imparting rotation from the pulley 27 to the spindle. and disengaged t'or permitting: the spindle 26 to remain stationary.

A face plate 36 is fixed to the forwardly extended end of the spindle 26 adjacent the bearing; 9 and, as shown. is provided with a rearwarr'lly extending hub or sleeve portion 37 having threaded connection with the spindle as indicated at 38. The face plate is centrally' apertured to receive a spreader in the form ot a cone 39 mounted on the forward end of a rod or bolt ll) in contact with the head l1, which rod extends throusgh the bore of the spindle to a point beyo rl'the rear end thereof and has a out 4.2 mounted thereon. The lace plate 36 also provided with a plurality of radial grooyes preferably three in nun'iliieix communi tine; with the centralopenino' ll in the plate whichreceives the spreader or cone 39. Elongated jaw carriers l5 are slidably mounted in the grooves menses a3 and are provided with a series of threaded sockets or openings 4:6, in which jaws 47 may be adjustably mounted by screws 4L8, thus permitting radial adjustment of the work clamping jaws at? to accommodate rings or other similar objects of different diameters. The wall of the taco plate 36 is thickened or formed with rearward radial projections in back of each groove 43 and the jaw carriers and jaws are held therein, as indicated at as. These thickened portions are also bored or hollowed out to provide radial cavities 50, in which contractile springs 51 are received. These springs are anchored at their inner ends to the face plate hub as indicated at 52, as by means of apertur ed screws, and are similarly anchored at their outer ends, as indicated at 53, to the jaw carriers ihe springs therefore tend to normally hold the jaws inwardly or in contracted relation to disengage from the inner face of a ring 5% adapted to be gripped internally by the jaws when moved outwardly .in expanded relation. The ring is held in the central circular opening 55 of a plate 56 secured as at 57 to the front of the taco plate upon being properly centered and held as by means of the dowel pins 58. This plate is of such thickness as to permit the ring to project 'lorwardly therefrom as clearly indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings so that'the peripheral edge ol the ring will be exposed for action thereon by the cutter Ell. lhe opening, in the plate is gauged in the manner of a permanent gauge plate of this type, to accommodate a standard sized lin or plates with different sized openings m be employed for receiving difl erent sized rings and anchored to the face plate in the manner explained or in any other suitable way. it will be noted that the plate 56 is secured flat against tl e face plate and proa seat in conjunction therewith for ac commodating the ring. The latter which is held by the sharp projections 59 of the jaws l? when the latter are broughtinto action or expanded by the spreader cone 39 by shitting" the rod 40 longitudinally.

Split clamps 60 and 61 are secured to the bearings 9 and 10 by screws 62 and project above the same. the clamps being of double or dual. formation having; Clflll'ljillifi' sleeves (3?, and 64 above the clamps (30 and (ll bolted to-v gether above as indicated at 65, and adapted to clamp and hold a horizontal support 66 therein in a plane parallel to the spindle 26 and above the same.

As seen in Fig, 3 oi? the drawings. the hub 37 of the taco plate 36en rages the forward end of the bearing 9 for additionally taking up end thrust, thoug'h the bearings 28 are primarily provided for this purpose and clearance may be allowed between the bearinn; and the hub 37. The rear end of the spindle is reduced as indicated at 67 and externally threaded immediately forwardly thereof, as indicated at 68, to take lock nuts 69, which take up forward end thrust of the spindle'against the bearing 10, thus ef-- feetively holding the spindle against longi tudinal displacement and permitting convenient mounting and assembly of the parts associated therewith. i V

A washer is mounted on the reduced portion 67 in contact with the shoulder that "when the collar is shifted longitudinally on the spindle similar movement will be imparted to the spreader.

A shifter lever 76 is pivotally hung from the rear end of the support 66 as indicated at 77 and its sleeve portion 78 engages over the collar 72 andhas screws 79 mounted in the sides thereof to engage shoes 80 mounted on the reduced inner ends thereof and seated in an annular groove 81 in the periphery of the collar 72 so that the collar is free to turn with the spindle independently of and within the sleeve portion 78 of the shifter lever 7 6.

A throw lever 82 is pivoted at 83 to' the frame 7 and has a latch 84 operable from the handle 85 through a rod 86, coacting with the notches 87 in a segment ,or latch plate 88 suitably fixed to the side of the frame as indicated at 89. The pivot 83 of the lever extends through the frame and intermediate-e ly carries a short arm 90 which has connection at its free end with the lower end of the depending lever 76' through the medium of an articulated connection or toggle 91,

4 preferably consisting of two links pivoted to each other and'to the armand lever 7 6, re-

spectively. A similar shifter lever 92 is piv oted to the support 6611s at 93 near the clamp 3 and is connected to the clutch collar E11 the same manner that the lever 76 has connection with the collar 72., ,Thedower end of the lever 92jis also, connected to the free end of the short arm 90 which latterhas its upper end forked for this purpose as seen in Fig. l.- It willalso be noted thatthe sul'istantially in parallelism.

Au annular back-plate 94 is slidablyi mounted at its central opening 95 on the hub or sleeve portion 37 of the face plate 36 and is slidably mounted on pins 96 secured at spaced points to the back of the fac;

plate, the pins being parallel to the axes or these parts and the spindle 26. Expansible springs 9'? are mounted on the pins 96 be tween the plates 86 and 94-,and normally force the latter rearvvardly or inwardly, guided" by the hub 87. The ring 94 is also provided with a radial slot 98 inwhich a rkick-out pin 99 is adjustably secured, the rear end of the pin being headed or enlarged as indicated at 100 to seat in a rabbet 101 in the back of the plate 9d, while a nut 102 threaded on the pin permits the latter to be clamped in a radially adjusted position in the slot 98. The pin.99 also extends through a radial slot 108m the face plate 36 and is adjusted to extend immediately behind the ring'5 li A forked hand lever 104: is pivoted at 105 to the forward end of the support 66 and has arms 106 to straddle the hub of the face plate behind the plate 94-, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, so as to constitute. a kick out means for displacing or ejecting the ring from its seat in the plate 56 after the jaws-have been released from holding engagement with the inner surface of the ring.

In an operation, the operator adjusts the l machine by raising the knee 11 and moving the carriage l5 back and forth and thecar riage l8 transversely at rightangles thereto,

in intersecting planes until the tool holder 22 is so positioned to bring the cutting edge of the tool 2 1- in cutting position with re,

the ring may be inserted and then'gripped by the aws (under the expanding action of the spreader 39. The spring 71 normally holds the clutch engaged, the clutch collar 33 being normally movedto the left to mate with the clutch ring of the drive pulley while the collar 72 is also normally moved to the left. This actionis permitted by the spllned connections with the spindle 26 at 8%- and "2'3 without shiftingithe spindle so that the parts normally occupy the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3; The operator grasps the handle of the lever 82 for swinging the lever forwardly from the position in which it is held by the latch; when the'c'lntcl'i is engaged. The short arm 90 isthereby swung forwardly and with it the lever todisengage the clutch and pernntthe spindle 26 to remain stationary; After the clutch has been disengaged, by reason of the differential movement estabhs ied between the levers 1 ill and 76 throughthe articulated or toggle connection formed by the links9l, continued movement of the arm 90 will straighten this connection disposing the linlts'in alignment and moving-I the lever 'Ttlforwardly against the action of the spring Y1. Th s willshift the rod 40 forwardly and with it the spreader cone 89",so as to permit the springs -51" to act in retracting the jaws. The ring 54 is now inserted in its seat and the operator then throws the lever 82 rearwardly to permit the spring 71 to first act by release of pressure thereon through the loose or differential connection-between the arm 90 and the lever 76, ,thus moving the cone 39 rearwardly to spread the jaws e7 into gripping relation with the inner wallof the ring and in such manner as to firmly hold the same. In predetermined or timed relation or successively thereafter, the lever 92 is shifted rearwardly by its connection with the arm 90 under the positive throw of the'lever 8:2 and engages the clutch by shifting the collar 33. This will transmit rotation from the driven pulley 27 to the spindle 26 so that the latter will be revolved in its bearings and with it the face plate andwork carried thereby as well as the spreader to continue to hold the jaws. in gripping position. The cutter 2% is then brought into cutting position and as indicated, a V-shaped or other groove 10? is cut inthe periphery of the ring for the purpose of catching the oil and forming a seal between the ring, when mounted on apiston, and the wall of the cylinder as it is thought will be readily understood.

When the proper groove has been cut, the operator grasps the handle of the lever 8:2

I and swings it forwardly to first disengage the clutch and operativelydisconnect the spindle from the drive means. Upon continued forward movement of the lever, the spring 71 is compressed and the spreader shifted forwardly to release the jaws 47 from the work or inner face of the ring. The operator then pushes rearwardly on the handle of the lever 10 1 with a quick thrust to impart a forward movement Or swing to the fork of the lever against the back-plate 94. The pin 99 kicks or ejects the ring from its operative position in the seat. Another ring may then be inserted in position to be grooved, after which the lever 8:2 is released under the action of the spring 71 and the same operation repeated.

From the foregoing, it will bemanifest that I have provided a very desirable and simple form of machine for cutting grooves in piston rings, or for otherwise machining the peripheral portion of piston rings or the like, which may be embodied in the form of a complete machine and sold as such. or as an adjunct or attachment to known types of milling machines and especially those of the knee or vertical type. In the latter case it is simply necessary to mount the clamps and 61 in position upon the bearings 9 and 10 by means of the screws 62 with the special assembly ofhollow or tubular spindle and parts associated therewith. which together with the operating lever and operative connections. will complete the assembly. By the device, the rings or other similar work to be While I have described what I now con sider to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the device is susceptible of wide changes and va riations in the construction, arrangement and purposes of the parts as well as the materials used, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as will be hereinafter defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, an upright frame. a tool holder adjustable vertically and horizontally on the frame, a cutting tool carried thereby, work-holding means carried by the frame, means for actuating the work-holding means, means for releasing the work, levers controlling the actuating and releasing means, spring means normally rendering the holding means operative, and a throw lever having a direct connection with the lever for the actuating means and a lost motion connection with the lever for the holding means.

2. In a ring grooving machine, a frame. a tool holder adapted for vertical. and horizontal adjustment, a tool carried thereby. a hollow spindle journal-ed in the frame, a support carried by the frame, drive means for the spindle including a clutch for rendering the same operative and inoperative. workholdingimeans carried by said spindle. a shifter lever pivoted to the support and hav ing connection with said clutch, a second shifter lever pivoted to the support and having connection with said work-holding means. and a control member carried by the frame and having an arm connected to the first shifter lever and a toggle connection with the second shifter lever.

3.- In a ring grooving machine. a frame. a tool holderadapted for vertical and horizontal adjustment, a tool carried thereby, a hol-' low spindle journaled in the frame, a support carried by the frame, drive-means for the splndle including a clutch for rendering the same operative and inoperative. a shifter lever pivoted to the support and having connection with. said clutch. a second shifter lever. pivoted to the support and having con nection with said work-holding means. a control member carried by the frame and having a direct connection with the first shift-er lever and a lost-motion connection with the second shifter lever. a kick-out device for said work-holding means. and a lever pivoted to the support to operate said kick-out device. I

4'. In a machine of the class described, a

frame, a cutter carried by the frame, a spindle journaled in the frame, means for drivwith the face plate and including a radially 7 ing the spindle, a face plate fixed to the adjustable pin, and means for shifting the spindle, jaw carriers slidable radially on the kick0ut means to cause the pin to engage 10 face plate, jaws adjustable on said carriers and displace the work upon completion of and adapted to be moved into and out Of the operation thereon.

clamping position With the Work mounted on the face plate, kick-0ut means rotatable GEORGE H. HIGGINS. 

